A quiet man's blog.

Feb 01, 2010

BBC - A History of the World in 100 Objects - No.6 Bird-shaped Pestle #history #podcast #BBC

This bird-shaped pestle was used by early farmers in Papua New Guinea, probably to grind the vegetable taro in a mortar. People in Papua New Guinea learnt how to grow crops 9000 years ago. Papua New Guinea was one of seven locations where farming independently developed after the last Ice Age. The pestle’s long neck meant it was too delicate to be used regularly and its bird-shape suggests it may have been used for pounding food on special occasions.

When did humans start to farm?

Growing plants and raising animals is one of the most important developments in human history. It was a gradual change that took place over several thousand years about 10,000 years ago. Farming created an abundant food supply that for the first time could support larger populations. People began to settle in one place to grow crops rather than being constantly on the move searching for new food sources. This led to the creation of the first villages.